Deliberately Caught Stealing
by mjrichio13
Summary: She's smart, she's resourceful, and she's a powerful sorceress. She had the whole heist planned out. So how is it that she sits face-to-face with the Lord of the Underworld, about to endure an eternity of hell? The answer is simple: she is right where she wants to be. But why would she play a game she has no intention of winning? That answer isn't so simple...
1. Prologue - It's Cold Here?

**Author Note**

Welcome to my first story ever! This will be a slow burn, with an eventual Hades/OC [I think, we'll see where the story takes me!]

While I will use Greek Mythology characters and references, I am in no way going to follow the mythology perfectly, i.e. I will be taking creative liberties for the sake of my story.

The OC will be kind of be a female reader-insert [her name will never be revealed, so you can call her whatever you like!]

Feel free to leave a review - happy reading!

Update 4/19/18 - I realized I had the timing wrong; it has been changed to 2 days, 19 hours, 57 minutes in the title

* * *

 **Prologue**

It's Cold Here?

Present Day: 2 Days, 19 Hours, 57 Minutes A.T.H, [After the Heist]

* * *

 _Drip._

 _Drip._

 _Drip_

Water leaked from an unknown source, steadily falling onto the black marble table in front of her. Its constant, almost rhythmic, spilling drew her attention, distracting her. Goosebumps rose on her arm as she registered the chilliness of the air.

 _Strange - I was always told it would be hot here_ , she absentmindedly thought to herself as she rubbed her arms, attempting to warm herself. She could hear someone calling her name, but it seemed distant. It didn't matter. She stared at the drops of water on the table, her vision tunneling until that's all she saw, all she thought about. The voice became louder, more insistent. But she continued to stare at the water. Where was it coming from? Was the water cold too? She thought that this place would be more-

BAM!

She jumped at the sudden sound of a hand smacking the table in front of her.

"Where in the _hell_ did you escape to in that head of yours? I called your name for a full minute. I nearly resorted to smacking _you_ ," the voice said, clearly annoyed.

Her eyes darted up to the other person in the room. Was he here when she walked in? She couldn't remember. Her eyes returned to the water drops, but she was now listening to the annoyed stranger.

"As I was _saying_ ," the man said, still put out at her ignoring him, "you have been charged with the highest treason in response to your crimes. Your punishment is to be enacted effective immediately. It has been deemed appropriate that, due to the severity of your crimes, you are to spend eternity in the P.O.T."

He seemed like he was expecting her to gasp in horror, beg for mercy, sob uncontrollably, or maybe do all three. But she didn't flinch. She didn't react whatsoever. The man leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow.

"You do not seem surprised," he stated. She shook her head. She realized for the first time that his voice held an accent. English? Irish? She wasn't sure.

"Why?"

She hesitated on her answer. Should she bother telling him? Maybe that would speed this process along. The truth, on the other hand, might prompt further inquiries and take more time. She decided against it.

"I knew what I was getting myself into," she replied quietly, vaguely. He scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, of _course_ you knew. Attempting what you did _requires_ forethought. This was a well thought out plan. Your almost-heist, quite honestly, was impressive. There is just something that I cannot _quite_ figure out."

He shifted, folding his arms onto the table. He leaned forward, his icy blue eyes boring into hers. She shifted in the stiff metal chair, uncomfortable under his gaze.

"With all of this planning, all of this well-crafted thievery, how is it that you managed to get caught?"

She blinked once. Twice. Three times.

"Well, I guess it wasn't as well thought out as it seemed," she answered. Her eyes sought out the the water, but the dripping had stopped. Damn, there went her distraction.

"Or maybe I'm unlucky," she quietly added as an afterthought.

The man sighed, slumping in his chair. She eyed him curiously. He almost seemed - _discouraged? defeated?_

"Well that," he whined, "is a _huge_ disappointment."

 _Don't ask him._

 _Don't ask him._

 _Don't ask him._

She was itching to ask him what he meant, to explain further. But she didn't want to delay this any longer. She was running out of time.

But the _way_ he said it….

 _Don't do it._

 _Don't do it._

 _Don't do it._

"Why is that a disappointment?" she blurted out.

 _Dammit._

"Not _a_ disappointment. A _huge_ disappointment. You," he groaned, lazily gesturing with his hand towards her, "were someone who was clever enough to slip past my brother's security and steal, almost successfully, his most precious belonging. You also made him look like a fool and _royally_ pissed him off, which was an added bonus. Now _that's_ someone worth keeping around. But if you really are not-"

"Your brother...?" she interrupted, without thinking. If she stole from his brother, that means this man had to be-

Her eyes widened in surprise and an icy shiver raced down her spine as she realized who her interrogator was. He sent her a look of confusion.

"Did I not introduce myself earlier? How rude of me!"

With a flourish, the man sprung from his chair. She held her breath as he grabbed her hand, bent low, and kissed her knuckles. He sent her a disarmingly charming smirk and an accompanying wink.

"The name is Hades. Brother of Zeus and Poseidon, King of the Underworld, and currently the god utterly _fascinated_ by you," he professed, his eyes glittering with mischief.

"Welcome to Hell."


	2. Where Have You Been, Bro?

Notes:

Hi all! New chapter is ready! This one isn't nearly as mysterious or interesting as the Prologue, but it contains lots of important details.

Also: the name of our leading lady will not be revealed. It is supposed to be a semi-reader insert.

Happy reading! Feel free to leave a review!

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Where Have You Been, Bro?

6 Months B.T.H [Before the Heist]

* * *

It was a particularly sunny Wednesday afternoon. Not a cloud was in sight. The sun shone through the large windows, providing ample light for her to read the large tome in front of her. The booth she was sitting in was fairly new - broken in enough where it wasn't too stiff, nor was it too worn by its previous inhabitants. Very few people were in the coffee shop. The ones present were being politely quiet for the rest of the patrons that were trying to concentrate on their book, their homework, their screenplay, whatever. All in all, she could not have asked for better conditions to read the book in front of her.

But, for the life of her, she just could not find the desire to read it.

To be fair, it wasn't an exciting book. _A Complete History of the Magi Council Volume 1_ was most certainly _not_ a page turner (nor were the other eight volumes in the set). But that wasn't the only reason she couldn't motivate herself to read the lengthy novel.

Caleb hadn't come home last night.

Caleb, her older brother and roommate, hadn't been heard from since the previous afternoon. Her brother may be reckless, but he _never_ went this long without contacting her. She had tried every method, short of messenger pigeon, to get a hold of him. She was half-seriously contemplating attempting to train one of the damn birds when the bell to the coffee shop rang, and in strolled the object of her worrying. She narrowed her eyes and slammed the heavy book shut, as Caleb casually strolled towards her. He slid into the seat across from her, sending her an easy grin as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"Hello, sister dear."

She simply stared at him. Not moving a muscle, not blinking, not even breathing. He raised a brow at her statue-like silence.

"What?"

By the gods, she wanted to strangle him. She took a deep breath to calm herself. It wasn't helping that Caleb, in her silence, had decided to start munching on her half-eaten sandwich. As she slapped her lunch out of his hands, she reminded herself that she loved her brother, despite his careless demeanor.

"Caleb! You didn't come home last night. I tried calling you, your buddy Andy, Ziggy, and even that bimbo Evan that you can't seem to ditch-"

"Hey! Evan may be a bimbo, but he is _my_ bimbo," Caleb shot back defensively, once again grabbing her sandwich.

"You can do better, but that is beside the point," she said, giving up on her food. "I was worried about you, Caleb. You know it hasn't been safe for us lately."

She was referring to the recent attacks on sorcerers in the last few months. A group of radicals, known as the Fury, had been escalating in violence. They were outraged by the current peace treaty between the Magi, the practitioners of light magic, and the Augur, the practitioners of dark magic. The Fury were former members of the Augur, believing themselves to be 'pure users of magic.' They wanted to dominate the planet and they were, supposedly, searching for a way to kill the gods.

So, pretty much a group of bat-shit crazy maniacs.

Caleb rolled his eyes at her concern.

"The Fury are just a bunch of over enthusiastic fan-boys, hell-bent on an impossible mission. Kill the gods? No one has ever managed to kill _one_ god, let alone _all_ of them. What makes them think that they can do it? Even the rest of the Augur, who _hate_ the gods, have given up on trying to kill them."

"Yes, hence the peace treaty we Magi forged with them. I do keep up in Magi news," she joked.

Caleb rolled his eyes again and took a large bite of the sandwich.

"All I'm saying," he said with a mouthful of food, "is that the Fury is all bark and no bite. Even I could take a group of them out, and we all know that I am not the most naturally gifted sorcerer."

It was her turn to roll her eyes.

"Caleb, you are a wonderful sorcerer. You just needed to work at it a bit harder than some of us."

He nodded, but she could tell he didn't quite believe her. Her heart sank at this. While Caleb was a passionate, hard-working sorcerer, he never had a natural talent for sorcery like she and some of their fellow Magi did.

"Doing a bit of light reading, then?" he asked, waving towards her book.

"Unfortunately. Ziggy is adamant that this book is essential for my training. Although _why_ the biographies of a bunch of old-as-dust Council members is absolutely necessary for my training remains a mystery," she replied disdainfully. Zuberi "Ziggy" Azikiwe, a Master Sorcerer and her current mentor, was relentless regarding her training. While Magi most often remained active magic-users, they were allowed the option stop practicing magic when fully trained. She had decided that, once she was finished with her training, she was out. Her decision didn't sit well with her mentor.

"So, you're almost finished with your training, right?" Caleb asked apprehensively.

Her decision didn't sit well with her brother either, for that matter.

"Caleb," she sighed, knowing what he was about to say.

"Are you _sure_ you want to be inactive after your training is done, sis?" he implored. "You are such a talented sorceress. They could really use your-"

"Caleb," she interrupted firmly, "you know I don't want this. Too many Magi have given their life for the cause. A cause, by the way, that I don't entirely believe in. Protect the gods? Why do they need our protection? They're _gods_. And what have they _ever_ done for us?"

"It's not so much actually _protecting_ the gods as much as protecting the-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Protecting the path to Mount Olympus and eliminating all potential threats to non-magic civilians. My point is that I really don't want this for you either. While I didn't agree with your decision to remain active after your training, I still respected your choice. I ask that you do the same for me."

"I know. It's just a damn shame. The Magi could really use you. You are easily worth ten sorcerers," Caleb groaned, leaning back in his seat.

"I know, C, I know," she said. As her eyes took in his sad smile, she frowned as she noticed the dark circles under his eyes.

"Caleb, where exactly were you last night?"

She saw him stiffen, his eyes darting away from her.

"I-I was, um," he stammered. He rubbed the back of his neck, and she saw a dark bruise on his inner forearm.

"And what the hell is that?" she asked sternly, gesturing to his forearm.

"Oh, I was just, uh, goofing around with Andy last night," he said.

Gods, he was a terrible liar.

"Well, whatever it is you don't want to tell me, I hope that you're at least being careful and no more stupid than you usually are."

He glared in her direction and mumbled, "Yes, mother."

"Well, I'm glad you're alive and somewhat well. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to this..." she said as she turned to the last page of the book, "thirteen-hundred-page book. _Thirteen hundred!_ Gods!"

Caleb laughed and moved to get out of the booth. Before he got up, he hesitated. His face fell serious as he turned back to look at her. He leaned across the table, indicating she should come closer. She complied, her heart beat speeding up in anxiety.

"I can't tell you what I've been up to," Caleb whispered, "but I can promise you that I am being careful. I love you."

Although she desperately wanted to question him further, she merely nodded and replied, "I trust you, and I love you too."

With a small smile and a nod in her direction, he left the coffee shop.

She had just found her place in the book, when her phone started ringing. She smiled at the face appearing on her screen. She, however, hesitated to answer. She knew that, if she neglected reading the book, Ziggy would be pissed. She didn't want to upset her mentor and role model. But the book was so _boring_.

 _Screw it,_ she thought.

"Hi Daisy," she said, answering her phone.

"HELLO, DEAR!" Daisy yelled back. She winced and held her phone at a distance.

"Gods! You don't need to scream, Daise. I can hear you just fine."

"SHIT! SOR-" Daisy cleared her throat and spoke at a much more reasonable volume, "Sorry! I'm currently driving and have you on speaker. Where are you right now?

"I'm at the coffee shop on 6th and Park. You know it?"

"YES!"

She winced again.

"Sorry! I mean yes, I know it. I'll be there in 5."

"I'll probably hear you before I see you."

"You're hilarious. Bye!"

She smiled as she put her phone back in her pocket. Her eyes returned to the book in front of her once again. With a heavy sigh, she closed it and placed it back in her satchel. She hoped Ziggy wouldn't quiz her…

Choosing to ignore that possibility, she approached the counter and ordered another round of caffeine for herself and Daisy. Just as she returned to her booth, she saw Daisy enter through the coffee shop doors. Daisy rushed to her booth as soon as she saw her, a wide grin on her face.

"Hi! Oh, I'm so happy to see you! How long has it been?" Daisy said. Her lifelong best friend reminded her of a puppy seeing its owner after a long day; she was practically bouncing with excitement in her seat. Maybe ordering her coffee was a mistake. She slowly slid Daisy's cup away from her as she answered.

"I saw you two days ago."

"Has it only been that long? It feels like _ages,_ " her best friend said dramatically. Daisy reached for her cup, taking a large gulp of the coffee.

She let out a sigh of defeat.

"So, how was training today?" she asked Daisy, hoping to distract her from the caffeine boost. Daisy, like herself, was nearly finished with her Magi training. Unlike her, Daisy was fully committed to the cause and planned on remaining active after she completed her training.

Helping out others was Daisy's calling.

Her? Not so much.

"Ugh, Jeremiah is such a pain in the ass. I mean, he is a great sorcerer and all, but must he be a complete _dick_ all the time? I wish I had lucked out and gotten Ziggy as a mentor. You have got it made in the shade, my dear."

"Well, the grass is always greener," she mumbled, taking a sip of her own coffee. She winced. Not enough sugar.

"Are things not going well with Ziggy?" Daisy asked. "That's surprising. He is one of the best, if not _the_ best, Master Sorcerers. Did you hear about what he did in Dubai all those years ago? Gods, he practically saved-"

"No, everything with Ziggy is fine," she said cutting her off. "He just pushes me harder than the other students. Or that's what it feels like, at least."

"That's because he knows how great you can be," Daisy said, taking her hand. "You have the potential to be a great sorceress. Hell, you're _already_ a great sorceress. He just doesn't want to see that go to waste."

She lifted a brow at that.

"Alright, 'go to waste' is a bit harsh, but you know what I mean."

"Yes, I get it. Can we talk about something else? I already got this from Caleb earlier."

Daisy perked up at this.

"Caleb? So he's no longer missing?"

"Shit, sorry. I should have told you earlier. He was here about 15 minutes ago."

"And he was okay?"

"He seemed a bit tired, but yes, he was fine."

"It's just that," Daisy said, shifting in her seat and leaning in close to whisper, "the Fury struck again last night."

"What? Really?"

Daisy nodded solemnly.

"What happened?"

"Well, from what I heard, the Fury were attacking a member of the Augur. The Magi tried to step in, but they were too late."

"Too late? You mean they killed him?"

"Her," Daisy corrected, "and from what I heard, they didn't just _kill_ her. They tortured her for information."

"Information about what?"

"Don't know," Daisy answered, taking another sip. "But I also heard that the Augur is furious, and they are demanding that the Magi step up their protection."

"How is it _our_ job to protect them? Aren't they perfectly capable of protecting themselves?"

"In theory, yes," Daisy responded dryly, "but the Magi have already decided to take this upon themselves. They're forming protection squads and sending out sorcerers to investigate."

"So then the Magi will end up hurt? Or even killed? _Great_ idea," she responded, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

Daisy shrugged.

"The Fury have been attacking both the Magi and the Augur, so these protection squads are just as much for our benefit as it is for theirs. Besides, we _just_ formed a delicate treaty with them. It's best not to piss them off already."

"As always, Daise, you're right," she conceded.

Daisy beamed at her triumphantly, taking another large sip of coffee.

Worry gripped her as she gazed at one of the few people in the world she truly loved. The Fates had not been kind to her; they took her parents when she was very young, leaving only Caleb and her best friend as family. While she no longer wept at the thought of her parents being gone, the scar of loss still lingered on her heart. The fear of feeling that loss again was ever present, and her hearing these troubling news of violence only caused that fear to grow. From this fear, however, sprouted a fierce promise, a resolute pledge:

Anyone who hurt her family would have hell to pay.


	3. Welcome to Hell

Author note:

Two chapters in one day? I'm on fire!

It's a relatively short chapter - happy reading! Feel free to leave a review!

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Welcome to Hell

Present day: 2 days, 20 hours A.T.H

 _"The name is Hades. The brother of Zeus and Poseidon, King of the Underworld, and currently the god utterly fascinated by you," he professed, his eyes glittering with mischief._

" _Welcome to Hell."_

* * *

Hades continued to smirk at her while she finally took in his appearance. Some stories depicted him as a dark, mangled demon with red eyes, sharp teeth, and an overwhelmingly unpleasant aura; other stories portrayed him having eerily gray skin and hair comprised of blue flames. He looked like neither of these. He looked…like an ordinary human man. His only apparent supernatural features were his striking blue eyes. They seemed to glow in the dimly lit room. He was dressed in an all black, expensive-looking suit.

She _so_ desperately wanted to ask him if it was Prada.

Overall, he was an [above] average looking man.

His smirk widened, revealing dimples on either side of his mouth, as if he knew what she was thinking. She could feel her cheeks warming. Shaking her head slightly, she cleared her throat and averted her gaze in an attempt to appear humble.

"I'm fully aware of where I am, Your Highness," she replied meekly. He snorted.

"No need for such formalities. Just Hades will do," he responded. He once again took a seat in the much more comfortable looking chair across from her. She shifted in her [torture device] chair, eyeing his seat with envy.

"So, _Sorceress,"_ his lilted voice seemed to caress her title, "what are you really doing here?"

"I-I'm not sure what you-"

"Do NOT play stupid with me – it does not suit you," he snapped. His charming smirk turned into a cold glare. The shadows in the room seemed to warp, making his face seem more angular, more menacing. He spoke his next words quietly, but they held the cadence of a threat.

"You know who I am, _what_ I am. I do not take it lightly when people lie to me. You, mere mortal, have no _idea_ what I am capable of. I suggest you answer me honestly, lest I allow myself torturous liberties before I send you to the P.O.T."

A bolt of fear shot to her heart, but she paid it no mind. Instead, she clenched her fists and narrowed her eyes at the god.

"I already went through an _extensive_ investigation during my trial on Mount Olympus," she replied through gritted teeth. "Weren't you present for the hearing?"

"As you certainly know, Sorceress, I have not been allowed to reenter the gates of Olympus in eons, let alone allowed to sit in on any trials that take place there."

"Still – weren't you told the details by _someone_? Isn't there a-a _scroll_ or something that you can read?"

His face softened as he let out a bark of laughter

"No, no such _scrolls_ for me to peruse. And as for someone relaying the details to me: Hermes gave me a brief summary of your crimes after he deposited you here. But the exact details… I was deprived of the juicy bits," he said as he rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Why do you even care? Your job is to carry out punishments for Mount Olympus, not make inquiries of your own."

"Do you have any idea how _boring_ it gets down here?" he asked incredulously, his eyes widening almost comically. He wildly gestured around the room. "Everyone here is so sad and mopey _. 'Oh, poor me, I'm dead.'_ Gods!" he burst from his chair and started to manically pace the small room.

"I was sick of it after _five minutes_ of my reign, and I have been Lord of the Underworld for eons. Eons! You cannot even _begin_ to imagine my frustration. _Any_ distraction is welcome, and you, my dear," he proclaimed, pointing in her direction, "have presented me with the most interesting distraction in decades, possibly centuries. You are a mortal who _broke into_ Olympus and very nearly got away with stealing Zeus's-"

"I'm aware of what I did," she interrupted harshly.

"Yes, of course. I want to delve into the exact details eventually. But first, I want to know why."

"Why what?"

"Why did you break in? Were you even aware of what you were trying to steal? Hardly anyone, not even most of the other gods _,_ knew that it even _existed_ , let alone tried to _steal_ it."

She took in a deep breath. This is exactly what she was trying to avoid: more delays. She glanced at her wrist.

 _Shit. Only four hours left._

"If I tell you all the gorey details, will you promise to hurry along and get my sentencing over with?"

His brows furrowed in confusion. He scratched the back of his head in bewilderment, as he sat back in his chair.

"If I did not know any better, I would say that you are eager for me to toss you into the P.O.T., which is absolutely ridiculous."

She remained silent.

He studied her face, and his brows lifted in surprise at his realization.

"You _are_ eager for me to throw you in there! But why…? Now _this_ is a story that I want to hear," he said giddily. He sat on the very edge of the seat, resting his elbows on the table. He propped his chin up on his fists, giving her his full attention.

She let out a heavy sigh and once again checked her wrist.

 _Three hours and fifty-nine minutes._

"It's difficult to know where to start…" she said uneasily.

"The beginning is normally a smart place," Hades offered cheekily, "but again, I want to know _why_. _Why_ would you even attempt this in the first place?"

"Why does anyone do anything?" she asked, running a hand through her hair. Hades raised a brow and shrugged. She tilted her head towards the ceiling of the dark room, once again letting out a deep sigh.

"Love. I did it for love."


	4. A Love Story for the Ages

Author Note:

Another chapter! Also sorry for the cheesy romance. Believe me, everything is deliberate :)

I am SO Daisy in the first part of the chapter!

PLEASE NOTE that I am taking liberties with Ziggy and his accent/language. I sadly know nothing of African languages, though I tried to do my best with research. I imagine his accent to be like that of T'Challa in Black Panther

Feel free to leave a review, and happy reading!

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

A Love Story for the Ages

5 Months B.T.H

* * *

"You were so scared." 

"I was not!" 

She shot her companion a skeptical look. 

"I wasn't _so_ scared I was just... a tiny bit scared," he admitted reluctantly. She let out a light laugh and grabbed his hand. 

"Don't worry," she assured him with a warm smile, "I'll protect you." 

"My hero," he said affectionately, batting his eyelashes at her playfully. He leaned down to her, and she rose on her tiptoes in order to- 

"Oh my _gods_ , you guys are _gross_!"

They paused and shot their third wheel friend a glare over their shoulders. Daisy raised her brows, unfazed by their look. She rolled her eyes at Daisy, and quickly gave him a peck on the lips. 

"Sorry, Daise. Can't stop true love," she shrugged. 

"I don't want to _stop_ it. I just don't want to see it. Or hear about it. Or have anything to do with it." 

"Is that all?" Noah asked jokingly. 

"Yes, _loverboy_ , that's all," Daisy replied mockingly. 

Her and Noah shared a look and chuckled as the three friends turned to leave the movie theatre. The three of them, since Daisy and her had met Noah nearly two years ago, had made a pact to see a movie every Thursday night. This week's film choice featured demons, exorcisms, and grisly murders. 

Daisy loved these movies.

Noah hated them.

She was indifferent. 

But it was never really about the movies themselves. Their friendship, and her and Noah's relationship, had blossomed during this tradition. A relationship, it seemed, that Daisy was tiring of. Was she just exaggerating to be funny? Or was it really bothering her? She peeked over at her best friend, feeling somewhat guilty. Daisy and her previous boyfriends never subjected her to the sickly-sweet romance like she and Noah had been doing. 

"You know," she started, wrapping her arm around Daisy's shoulder, "you could always bring a date to movie night. That way you can distract yourself with your own loverboy while we're being gross." 

"But then how would I able to protect the masses from you two? I act as a buffer for the benefit of the public, for the common good!" Daisy exclaimed, gesturing towards the others leaving the theatre. 

"Ah, yes, there's her famous altruism," Noah observed wryly. 

"Exactly! I'm as selfless as they come," Daisy said with a wide grin on her lips. 

She relaxed at seeing her friend's smile. It appeared she was only joking. She made a mental note to follow up with her about this another time. 

"Yes, yes you are," she added honestly. 

They had reached the parking lot by now. The couple waved goodbye to their friend as Daisy headed towards her car. Hand-in-hand, her and Noah strolled to his car parked on the other side of the lot. Once they reached the car, Noah, with an exaggerated sweeping bow, opened the passenger side door of his car for her. She rolled her eyes and climbed into her seat. She buckled herself in, and turned to him as he opened his door and sat in the driver's seat. 

"Maybe we should cool it with the whole 'lovey-dovey' thing in front of her." 

"She was only joking," Noah responded. 

"Yeah, but she does have a point," she said with a sigh. She stared out the windshield as she added, "We _are_ kind of gross." 

"Yes, we kind of are," he agreed as he put the key in the ignition and started the car. He reached over and lightly gripped her chin, turning her towards him. His thumb caressed her cheek, and he smiled warmly at her. "But I love you, and I want to show it. I'm proud to be yours." 

Her heart melted at his declaration. She and Daisy had met Noah two years ago when he moved back to America. Noah was a member of an elite international Magi force, known as the Gray. The Gray was a faction of highly skilled Magi. They traveled the globe for a variety of reasons: protecting non-magics, investigating sorcerer crimes, and hunting down ancient magical relics. The Gray received their name from the fact that they often used a blend of both light and dark magic in their work. They were often a source of controversy within the Magi community. 

Some believed that they were no better than the Augur.

Others praised them for their ability to balance magic.

She wasn't exactly sure where she stood. 

Immediately after his initial Magi training, which he was able to finish two years earlier than most, he was selected to join the Gray. He had spent three years abroad before he returned to America. He didn't like to talk about it; from what little he had told her, he did things he wasn't necessarily proud of in order to fulfill his duty for the Gray. After a particularly grueling assignment in Africa, he requested to return to America. 

She smiled as she remembered the first time they met. She had been training with Ziggy, not quite being able to master a simple protection spell.

* * *

 **Two years ago**

"Concentrate," Ziggy's smooth, accented voice commanded for what seemed like the hundredth time that session. Sweat slid down her temple. Though her eyes were closed, she could feel Ziggy's gaze burning a hole through her back. She exhaled and moved her hands in the choreography meant for a protection spell. 

_Right hand down_

 _Left hand arc to right side_

 _Right hand sweep diagonal_

 _PUSH_

She let out soft grunt as she felt the magic pulse from her hands. She opened an eye to see her handiwork. 

Nothing. 

She swore under her breath and ran a hand through her damp hair. 

"How is it that I am able to perform a complex disarming hex, but I can't to do an easy protection spell?" she asked, frustration lacing her voice. She plopped down on the mat-covered floor of the practice room, laid on her back, and threw her arm over her eyes in an all-out pout. 

"Despite what your brother may tell you," Ziggy said while he removed her arm from her eyes, his bronze face appearing in her vision,"you are not a perfect sorceress." 

She sent a glare at him, but he merely smiled at her, his chocolate-colored eyes sparkling. 

"I'm aware of that, Master. I just expected this to be easier," she glowered. "And my brother doesn't inflate my ego as much as you seem to think he does." 

Her South African mentor merely chuckled and offered her his hand. She reluctantly grabbed it, and he helped her up off of the floor. He clapped his hand on her back as he leaned in to offer his advice. 

"Your ego is not the problem, Sorceress. You are not-" 

"Zuberi!" 

Ziggy turned at the sound of someone calling his real name. His face broke out into a large smile when his eyes laid on the owner of the voice. 

" _Umhlobo,_ " Ziggy responded fondly in his native Xhosa. Excusing himself to her, he met the interruptor in the middle of the room. 

She eyed this new person warily. He walked with the confidence of a Magi official, and he called Ziggy by his first name - something no trainee would ever do. But he couldn't have been that much older than herself. She attempted to appear busy by working on basic forms, but she was actively listening to the two apparent friends. 

"Sorry to interrupt your session here, buddy." 

"Ah, pay it no mind. How long has it been, my friend?" Ziggy's soft voice asked. 

"A year and a half?" 

"Too long." 

The stranger nodded in agreement. She attempted to check out study the stranger out of the corner of her eye. He was tall - at least a half a head taller than Ziggy. He had an alluring, bright smile that seemed even brighter by his tanned skin. He'd been abroad then? Somewhere sunny? 

"How long are you expecting to remain in America?" Ziggy questioned. 

"I'm actually back here for good. My transfer request was approved." 

_Transfer?_

"Yes, I was informed about the incident in-" Ziggy started. 

The Magi cleared his throat and glanced in her direction. She quickly averted her eyes and focused on her form. Ziggy seemed to get the hint and dropped the subject. 

"I didn't just come in here to disrupt your teaching - Jeremiah wants to talk to you." 

Ziggy let out a soft sigh. 

"Did he mention what he wanted to discuss?" 

"No, but he seemed more irritable than usual." 

"I better go deal with him," Ziggy muttered. He now turned to her. "Keep practicing the protection spell. Perhaps my friend here can help you." 

With that, her mentor gave her a nod and exited the room. The stranger sauntered over to her, his eyes giving her a once over. 

"A protection spell, huh? What are you, a fourth echelon?" he asked, referring to her training rank. 

"Fifth, actually." He raised a brow at that. She was halfway through her fifth echelon, the last tier of Magi trainees. She most certainly should have been able to perform a protection spell by now.

"A fifth echelon that can't do a protection spell?" he asked, seeming to be thinking along the same lines.

She huffed a breath of annoyance.

"Yeah, believe me, I'm not happy about it either," she said grumpily.

"Well, give it a whirl," he said, waving his hand and taking a step back.

A spike of anxiety rushed through her. What if she embarrassed herself in front of the hot Magi? Shaking her head slightly, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her brows furrowed tightly in concentration. She raised her hands as she again attempted to perform the protection spell.

 _Right hand down_

 _Left hand arc to right side_

 _Right hand sweep diagonal_

 _PUSH_

She opened her eyes to once again see that her spell had failed. She hung her head in defeat.

"You're thinking too much."

She raised her head and gave him a bewildered look.

"I'm thinking too much?"

"Yes. You're trying too hard," he said, nodding at her.

"Ah, how foolish of me. I'll be sure to put _less_ effort into my training. Thanks for the tip," she snarked back. He let out a puff of laughter.

"I only mean," he said, stepping closer to her, "that you're getting trapped in your own head."

He made to step behind her, and she darted away.

"If you're about to do the thing where the guy steps behind the girl and wraps his arms around her to teach her how to do something, I will _bite_ you," she threatened.

"Bite me?" he asked amused.

"Yes," she snapped.

"We'll save the biting for another time, shall we?" he asked, smirking suggestively. She felt her heart skip a beat and her face heat up. He went to move behind her again, more slowly this time. She side-eyed him but made no move to stop him. Once he was behind her, he placed both hands on top of her shoulders.

"Now," he murmured, "I want you to relax. Think of nothing. The best, most powerful magic isn't formed by thinking hard; it's done by feeling. Close your eyes." She complied, exhaling softly.

"I want you to find your magic, your sorcery. Can you feel it?"

She could feel it; that unmistakable flow of violet energy that was simultaneously a part of her and something completely foreign. She nodded, entranced by his soothing voice.

"Good, now _release_ it."

She knew she was moving her hands for the spell, but it was distant, automatic. She felt the magic in her build, shaping to her whim. At the peak of its power, the end of the spell, she pushed.

"Open your eyes," he whispered in her ear.

Her eyes fluttered open. She let out a laugh of disbelief as she looked around her.

A protection spell. And a damn good one.

She turned to look at him, a huge grin on her face. He looked back at her with an expression of pride.

"See? Don't think too hard."

She brushed her hair away from her face and wiped her hands on her shirt. She stuck her hand out, offering her name to her stand-in teacher.

"Pleasure to meet you," he said, taking her hand in his. "I'm Noah."

And in that moment, with this charming Magi shaking her hand and flashing her another dazzling smile, she knew one thing was certain:

She was a goner.

* * *

She was brought back out her memory by Noah ducking his head to meet her eyes.

"Where'd you go in there?" he questioned, lighting tapping her forehead.

"Sorry, just lost in thought. You're very sweet. I love you too," she said softly, bringing her hand up to stroke his stubble-covered cheek. "But we should cool it with the PDA. I don't want to make people uncomfortable."

"Fair enough. I guess I'll just have to do this..." he replied quietly, leaning over to her, "in private."

She grinned as he pressed his mouth to hers in a gentle kiss. He made to pull away from her, but she threaded a hand in his hair, pulled him closer, and kissed him again. He let out a soft groan, and her heart skipped a beat. He pressed closer to her, deepening the kiss. She gripped his hair tighter as he placed his hand on her waist. He slowly moved his hand, lightly tickling her side until it came to rest on her-

A loud wolf whistle and cheer caused them to break apart from each other. They spotted a group of teenagers clapping their hands and laughing at them. She ducked her head in embarrassment, but Noah sent the kids a thumbs up in return. She gave him a small slap in the chest in retaliation. This only caused the group to laugh even more, with Noah joining in.

"So much for privacy," remarked Noah.

"Can we get out of here, please?" she demanded asked. The teenagers seemed to have been through laughing at her expense. They were walking away, much to her relief.

"Yes, dear," Noah answered with a smile.

"Are you hungry?"

"Almost always, yes," she answered.

Noah hummed in agreement as he pulled out of the parking space. She turned on the radio, and tilted her head back against the headrest. She closed her eyes and softly hummed the tune. Noah reached over to grab her hand. She opened an eye and saw that he had a content smile on his lips, which in turn, caused her to smile.

She was happy that he was happy.

He certainly deserved it. The Fates had not been kind to him either. His mother had left his father when he was just a young boy. He hadn't seen her since. His father was a great man, a great Magi; he had served as a member of the Gray himself. He had been searching for a magical relic when a curio, a malevolent relic, had cursed him with an unknown supernatural illness . He had been forced to retire from the Gray as his health steadily declined. His father, though still alive, was frail and close to death. The healers, along with Noah, had been desperately searching for a cure for him with no success. Noah had yet to give up, despite his father's acceptance of death. She admired Noah for his tenacity and often lent a hand in helping him search for a remedy. She prayed to the gods that his father would live, but she knew that his father's health was not likely to improve. At this thought, she kissed the back of his hand, and he sent her an affectionate look.

She leaned her head against the cold window and stared at the passing scenery. Night had fallen. She looked towards the sky in an attempt to find the moon, the stars. Clouds, however, obstructed her view of the night sky. Hardly any moonlight was able to pass through. That, coupled with the fact that they were driving on an empty stretch of road, made her hyper-aware of the fact that it was very dark outside. Had she been on this road before? She didn't recognize it.

"Where are we going?" she asked warily.

Noah sent her a strange look.

"I thought we could go to Wanda's for a burger. Do you want to go somewhere else?"

She rubbed her arms as she replied, "No, that's fine. It's just…"

"What's wrong, babe?"

"Something doesn't feel right. Can we get off of this road?"

"Yeah, sure. I think there's a turn coming up here," he said, squeezing her hand gently. The headlights illuminated that there was an intersection ahead.

"See? Nothing to worry about. I'll just turn here," he reassured.

She relaxed into the seat as he turned right at the intersection. She sent him a grateful smile and turned to look back out her window. She reached into her pocket as her phone buzzed with a text.

 _Daisy: Hey, did you hear the rumor about the mole?_

 _Mole? What the hell are you talking about?_

 _Daisy: There's apparently a spy in the Magi feeding information to the Fury._

"Noah? Have you heard the rumor about a spy that the Fury have planted in the Magi?"

He nodded gravely.

"If what I heard is correct, then the spy has been funneling the whereabouts of high-ranking Magi and Gray."

"He's giving up their location? Why?"

"I can't be sure, but I'm guessing they are trying to kidnap Magi who are knowledgeable in curios that have the potential to kill gods."

"Curios that kill gods? Do they even exist?"

"It's an unlikely possibility, but a possibility all the same."

"Why wouldn't the spy just give the Fury information about the curios themselves? Why bother taking the risk to kidnap skilled Magi and Gray for information?"

"Maybe the spy doesn't have access to the curio whereabouts? The location of particularly dangerous curios is on a need-to-know basis, and there are very few Magi who need-to-know. What brought this on?"

"Daisy texted me about it."

He let out a light laugh.

"Good ol' Daise, always the first one to know."

She nodded in agreement. She turned to him to ask him another question, when she spotted a strange red light out of Noah's window quickly approaching their car.

"Noah!" she yelled, pointing out his window, the light nearly at them. He swore as he tried to swerve to avoid it.

The last thing she remembers before she blacks out is Noah's hand reaching towards her and the red light of a spell crashing into them.


	5. Cry Me a River Styx

Author Note:

Another chapter! This story is just writing itself!

As always, feel free to leave a review and happy reading! :)

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

Cry Me a River Styx

Present Day: 2 Days, 20 Hours, 2 Minutes A.T.H

* * *

" _Why does anyone do anything?" she asked, running a hand through her hair. Hades raised a brow and shrugged. She tilted her head towards the ceiling of the dark room, once again letting out a deep sigh._

" _Love. I did it for love."_

* * *

"Love?" he questioned, sounding like he didn't believe her. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

She nodded, continuing to keep her eyes trained on the ceiling of the small, cave-like room. The water from earlier had resumed its leaking, dripping onto the table. She spotted a miniscule crack, the apparent source of the leaking, in the ceiling above the table.

"Not for fame? Glory? Money? Power? Maybe even-"

"Why is that so hard to believe?" she interjected, rubbing her forehead. Gods, she had a nasty headache. What she would give for an aspirin right now. "Yes, I stole it for love."

"Love for whom, exactly? Do not tell me you are about to spend eternity in the P.O.T for some _guy_."

"Well, not exactly…"

"Ugh, you mortals are so _dramatic_ about love," Hades moaned, waving his hand towards her. "You are so _obsessed_ with each other. I remember this one particular soul that I had the misfortune of running into. Dale? Dave? Anyways, he held this unrequited love his whole earthly life - he was definitely assigned to the Mourning Fields, by the way - and he died in the most interesting, horrific way-"

As Hades continued with his story, she stared at the small puddle forming on the table. When was the last time she showered? Had something to drink? The water seemed to be taunting her, reminding her of the fact that she was trapped in literal hell. She was going to be deprived of even the most basic necessities here, even something as simple as water. Maybe this was her last opportunity to touch water, to drink it. She crept her hand towards the puddle…

Only to have Hades hastily jump out of his seat and slap her hand away, rather hard.

"What do you think you are _doing_?" Hades yelled in disbelief, his eyes wide.

"What am _I_ doing?" she yelped incredulously, rubbing her sore hand. "What are _you_ doing?"

"That water most likely is coming from Styx," he answered slowly, as if he were speaking to a child.

She stared for one second. Two seconds. Three seconds.

"Styx," she said flatly.

"Yes, Styx."

"Styx," she said again with the same flat tone.

"Are you deaf? Yes, the River Styx."

"Let me get this straight," she started, her voice deceptively calm. "I'm in the lower caverns of the Hall of Judgement, the location where every mortal's place in the afterlife is decided, quite possibly the most important edifice in the entire universe for a mortal, and there's a _goddamn leak in the ceiling?!_ "

"I am quite _busy_ down here, I'll have you know," Hades shot back defensively. "I do not have time to inspect every nook and cranny for _leaks._ "

"I cannot _believe_ this. What if I would have accidently touched it earlier? Or what if it more cracks start forming?" she questioned, sending an uneasy look to the ceiling. "Do you know what would happen to me if I touched it?! Gods!"

"Yes, I am _quite_ aware of what would happen, hence me slapping your hand away," he answered haughtily. "You are _welcome_ , by the way."

"I can't believe it. I assumed that Hell would have higher standards than this," she remarked sardonically.

"Oh my gods, can we move past this? So there is one _tiny_ crack in the ceiling, big deal."

"Where is the water even coming from? The river can't be above us."

Hades let out an exasperated sigh.

"Trying to tame or understand the River Styx is futile. She flows and floods wherever she desires down here. Even I cannot control her."

"You know what? I don't care. Let's get back to the story," she said, inching her seat away from the drops of the Styx.

"Good, yes," Hades agreed. "So who exactly did you love to an insane degree in order to be persuaded to break into Olympus?"

"I wasn't _persuaded_ to break into Mount Olympus," she corrected, rolling her eyes. "You make me sound like a crazy, idiotic girlfriend who was talked into it."

"So you _did_ break into Olympus for a guy?"

"Hmm, sort of."

"Sort of? You either did or did not. Which is it?"

"It's both."

"Both?" Hades asked, clearly frustrated.

"Yes."

Hades let out an annoyed breath.

"Alright, so you both did and did not break into Olympus for a boy, one that you love?"

"Yes."

"We will get back to that later, I suppose."

She nodded her assent. Scratching her head, she absentmindedly wondered how much time she had left. She reflexively glanced down at her wrist.

 _Three hours, fifty-five minutes._

Hades noticed her eyeing her right wrist, so he snatched it and brought it to his bright eyes to inspect. His eyebrows lowered in confusion, unsure of what he was seeing.

"What," he said, continuing to stare at her wrist, "is this?"

He was referring to the black, splatter-like smudge on the inside of her wrist. The small, dark mark was constantly changing shape, making it seem almost alive. On the inside of the mark were red numbers.

 _Three hours, fifty four minutes._

"It's my... watch," she answered sheepishly.

His eyes narrowed, shifting his gaze between her face and her wrist.

"Your…..watch?" he asked, obviously not believing her.

"Of sorts, yes," she answered. "It's also a GPS."

"Explain," he demanded.

"It's a… cursed watch and GPS, I suppose," she answered thoughtfully.

"Is this why you are so eager to be thrown into the P.O.T? You are being-"

"Can you please stop calling it that?" she interjected.

"What? The P.O.T?"

"Yes, it's getting rather tiring," she said through gritted teeth, attempting to pull her arm away from Hades. His grip on her only tightened, refusing to let go.

"I was attempting to be cordial. Lightening the mood, as it were."

"How does calling it the 'P.O.T' lighten the mood?" she asked, exasperated.

"Well, I figured calling it the 'P.O.T' instead of its real name would help ease the sting of your reality, allowing you to distance yourself from the fact that you will be spending your eternity in the deepest, darkest place in all of existence. You know, the place where the most _deliciously_ wicked mortals, Titans, and gods spend their time torturing each other."

She stared at him, her muscles locking up.

"Plus 'the Pit of Tartarus' is a bit of a mouthful to say," he added flippantly. She yanked her arm back again, and he reluctantly released her. Self consciously, she covered up the mark on her wrist.

"I guess…. you can keep calling it the P.O.T. then," she responded quietly, unable to keep the fear out of her voice. He sent her a sympathetic look, his hand moving towards hers, as if to comfort her. He stopped himself midway, his hand returning to his side. He shook his head and cleared his throat.

"Back to this 'watch and GPS' thing on your wrist," he said, clearly uneasy about his almost-gesture of comfort. "What happens when the time runs out? Do you die? You are _already_ in Hell. What's the point of killing you? You are practically dead already. And did you really need a GPS telling you that you are in Hell? I thought that would have been quite clear."

She sent him a glare.

"First of all, this GPS doesn't give me directions. Secondly-"

"What do you mean the GPS does not give you directions? That is literally the sole purpose of a GPS."

"Secondly," she said, ignoring his inquiry, "I'm not practically dead; I'm still alive. If I were dead, then I would be like the other mindless zombies wandering around here."

"They are most certainly not zombies; they do not have a desire to eat - or a desire to do - anything. That includes eating brains," Hades said matter-of-factly. "If anything, they are like ghosts or spirits."

She rolled her eyes at him and rubbed her temples again. Her headache wasn't getting any better.

"I didn't mean _actual_ zombies, Hades. It was just an expression," she grumbled.

"Just making sure you were properly educated in the matters of Hell. Some mortals come down here _severely_ misinformed," Hades chuckled. "And for your information, only the souls that are in the Mourning Fields and the Asphodel Fields lack their _phrenes_ , their wit. All other souls in Hell are very much aware of where they are."

This was news to her. She was taught that all souls in the Underworld desired nothing and were unable to grasp the reality of their afterlife.

"Really? So those in Elysium and the P.O.T still have their _phrenes_?" she asked, surprise coloring her tone.

"As well as those in the Isle of the Blessed, yes," Hades nodded. "They know where they are, and they have the capacity to desire; it is just a matter of whether or not those desires are met. Those in the Elysium and the Isle of the Blessed are allowed to have their wishes fulfilled. Those in the P.O.T….. not so much."

"Good to know," she murmured.

"Anything else I can answer for you? If not, I am _dying_ to hear some more of your story," he snickered.

"Was that supposed to be a joke?" she asked, not amused.

"Of course it was," he answered, sounding offended. She rolled her eyes at him. She stretched her arms out, cracking the bones. Taking in a deep breath, she prepared herself to tell the Lord of the Underworld her story.

"Well, I guess I'll start with-"

"How long did it take for you to plan this heist?" Hades interrupted.

"One week," she answered, huffing a breath of annoyance.

" _One week?!_ " he asked in disbelief.

"I didn't really have a choice," she shrugged.

"Did not have a-? You are supposed to be clearing things up for me, not confuse me further!" Hades exclaimed, rubbing his temple.

"Well, stop asking me the wrong questions and let me tell the damn story," she replied snottily. He raised a brow at her sass, his jaw clenching in irritation.

"My apologies," she muttered.

"No matter," he said, waving away her apology. "I shall just sit back and not interrupt."

It was her turn to raise a brow at him.

"Alright, _try_ not to interrupt," he amended. "But I make no promises."

She let out a small laugh and smiled.

"Alright, well I guess the story really begins with the night Noah and I-"

"Noah?" he interrupted yet again.

She sent him a glare.

"I said no promises!" he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Noah is my boyfriend. Was my boyfriend," she corrected wistfully.

"Was?"

She nodded, avoiding his eyes.

"It started the night Noah and I went to the movies, about five months ago."

"What's so special about that?"

"Because that night was really the beginning of the end," she said, returning to her eyes to his.

"That was the night the Fury kidnapped Noah."


	6. Absence Makes the Heart Grow Frantic

**Author Note:**

Wow, it's been soooo long since I've updated! I hit a bit of a writer's block, and then I had a bunch of life changes that distracted me from writing. But I'm back! This is the longest chapter yet. And there is no Hades and the OC in this chapter, sorry!

Thanks for reading and your reviews!

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Frantic

4 Months B.T.H

* * *

Right, left, right-right, left.

Right, left, right-right, left.

Right, left, right-right, left.

She was entranced in the rhythm, lulled by its repetition.

Right, left, right-right, left.

Right, left, right-right, left.

Right, left, right-right, left.

Everything faded away. All of her troubles, all of her worries, did not exist in this microcosm that she had created for herself.

Right, left, right-right, left.

Right, left, right-right, left.

Right, left, right-right, left.

She was at peace. She could stay here forever.

Right, left, right-right, left.

Right, left, right-right, left.

Right, left, right- _WACK!_

" _Ouch!_ _Gods!"_ she cried out, clutching her right shoulder in pain.

"Oh shit! Are you okay?" her brother yelled, running to her side in alarm. He tried to touch her shoulder gently to examine it, but she pulled away sharply. He winced at her refusal. "I'm so sorry, sis!"

"Christ, Caleb!" she exclaimed, rotating her shoulder slowly. It didn't hurt so much now, but she wasn't going to let him know that quite yet. She was still too angry. "What in the hell was that for?"

"Well," he started sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment, "I was trying to talk to you, but you were just so focused on hitting that punching bag. What did it ever do to you, by the way?" He joked, attempting to get her to laugh. It did not work - she only seemed to get angrier. He took a tiny step backwards.

"So, in order to get my attention," she growled, ignoring his question, "you thought 'Gee, I should just throw a hex at her'?"

"Well I _tried_ calling your name, but you didn't hear me. So I thought I would shoot a mildcollision spell at you," he countered defensively, inching another step away from her.

" _Mild_?"

"The spell _may_ have gotten away from me," he admitted with a shrug.

"Well, you now have my full and prompt attention," she snapped, putting her hands on her hips. "What do you want, Caleb?"

He flinched at her tone. He wrung his hands nervously, darting his eyes between her and the rest of the practice room.

"Ziggy's back. I thought you might want to talk to him," he answered cautiously. He took another slow step back.

Her moods had been wildly unpredictable in the weeks after the accident. She had woken up after the crash with a splitting headache, a missing boyfriend, and no memory of the incident. A Gray team had been sent in order to investigate. They had searched the scene, sent out a locator spell, and attempted to find a clue in her memories.

They had gotten nowhere.

The only lead that sprung from the investigation had been the presence of a memory blocking spell wedged in her psyche. Over the last few weeks, a variety of Magi, Gray, and even Augur had attempted to unblock her memory to no avail. With no progress being made in Noah's disappearance and having sorcerers tearing through her mind the last month, she had grown increasingly depressed, frustrated, and frantic.

"Look, I know it's been a hard few weeks for you, but the Gray will find him," Caleb reassured cautiously, not wanting to overstep and upset her further.

She let out a breath, feeling guilty for snapping at her brother. He had been nothing but supportive to her, and she had been throwing it in his face.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. She had finally noticed that he was now standing a full five feet away from her now. A small smile appeared on her lips.

"And you can step closer. I'm not going to hit you," she quipped.

"Oh thank the Gods, I was so afraid," Caleb said, relieved. He stepped close and put his arms out to hug her. She took a step back from him.

"Not sure I'm ready to hug you yet, though," she commented wryly.

"Fair enough, I did hit you with a collision spell," he agreed with a nod and a shrug. He nodded his head towards the door. "Ziggy's about to tell the Origin Story to some first echelons."

"Thank you," she said, patting his arm. With a small smile to her brother, she exited the practice room.

She walked the long corridors, heading to speak with her mentor. She knew the halls of the Temple like the back of her hand. The Magi Temple was the beating heart of the Magi; it was where they trained, pursued scholarly texts, and prayed to the gods. It was hidden to the rest of the world by a powerful glamor spell. It remained hidden to the Augur as well. Even though the peace treaty had been ratified, there was still an air of distrust between the two sorcerer clans. The Augur had also yet to reveal the location of their headquarters to the Magi. She had a hard time believing either clan was going to reveal their home bases to each other anytime soon.

She found the first echelon classroom and quietly opened the door to the back of the room. Ziggy, standing in front of the children , had just started the Origin Story. She leaned against the back wall, listening to his calming voice.

" _Long ago, before mankind, the gods, and even the Titans, there was nothing._ _This nothingness was known as 'Chaos', a Divine Being. From this void, this Chaos, burst forth the other Divine Beings: Gaia - what we know as the Earth, Eros - what we feel as Love, the Abyss - what we fear as Tartarus, and Erebus - what we see as Darkness._

 _Gaia, the Earth, gave birth to the Sky, called Uranus. Uranus and Gaia brought to life the mighty Titans. After the twelve Titans were born, Uranus and Gaia agreed to not bring any other life into existence. Despite this agreement, two more children were birthed unto them. Uranus, furious at the births of the children, threw them in Tartarus to imprison them in eternal darkness. Gaia, when she heard of this vile treachery, became enraged by her husband's actions. She conspired with her son, the Titan called Kronos. Kronos, the youngest of all the Titans, had been consumed with jealousy of his father's power. Gaia formed a harpe, a great stone sickle, capable of killing Uranus. With this harpe, Kronos killed his father and became the ruler of the Universe."_

The first echelons, ranging from ages five to eight, were completely silent, enraptured by Ziggy's storytelling. She smiled to herself, remembering when she was a child and hearing the story for the first time.

 _"Kronos and his wife Rhea, who was a Titan herself, sired the gods. Fearing his children would grow jealous of their father's power, just as he himself did with his father Uranus, Kronos devoured his children: the gods Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon._ _Rhea the Titan gave birth to their last child, Zeus, in secret. When Zeus grew old enough, he gave his father an emetic. The emetic, a vomit-inducing potion, caused Kronos to regurgitate the swallowed gods."_

She chuckled as a chorus of 'Ew!' rang in the classroom, the children giggling at the story. Ziggy paused, patiently waiting for the children to quiet down. The children quickly fell silent, once again training their focus on the Master Sorcerer.

 _"Along with his siblings, Zeus battled the Titans for the fate of the Universe. Zeus and his brothers and sisters were victorious. Zeus threw his father, Kronos, and the other Titans in the Pit of Tartarus where they remain to this day._

 _Zeus and his fellow gods roamed the Earth for many millennia, birthing more gods and building the world we see today. Zeus felt that their creation was missing something vital: a being that could worship him and the other gods. So, he created mankind. He formed us from clay, and he breathed life into us. Zeus and his brothers, Hades and Poseidon, argued and fought over who would rule these new lands and new creatures. The brothers decided to divide the world into three parts: the Sky, the Sea, and the Underworld. The Sky, which houses Mount Olympus, went to Zeus; he rules over all of the gods in his domain, and he shows us his strength in the thunder and lightning during a storm. The Sea, Poseidon's realm, is all of the world's oceans, lakes, and rivers. He knows every inch of the waters and all of its inhabitants. He shows his power in the churning of waves and the bustling winds of a hurricane. The last realm, the Underworld, is where we mortals spend eternity after our earthly time has ended. Not much is known about this mysterious realm or its ruler. What we know is that Hades was Zeus' least favorite sibling, so he and Poseidon agreed to keep him down below, away from most of the other gods. We also know that this is the dwelling of our Goddess, Hecate. Hecate, daughter of the Titans Perses and Asteria, is the goddess of crossroads, light, and most importantly, sorcery."_

Ziggy paused as the kids began to whisper excitedly. She grinned at their excitement, envying their wonder and awe.

 _"One day, a great and powerful creature, known as the Mage, escaped from the confines of the Underworld. This creature, a unique mystical being, was nothing like that which the Earth had ever seen. It was forged in the Den of Shadows, a curious and strange place in the Underworld. Many humans attempted to defeat this beast, but mankind's weaponry was no match to its dark magic. Even several demigods, children of gods and mortals, failed to destroy the beast. Hecate knew the only way to defeat the Mage was to fight back with sorcery, so she bestowed three demigods with the gift of magic. The demigods - Achilles, Penthesilea, and Perseus - fought and defeated the Mage using Hecate's gift. The Mage was sent back to the Underworld, forever remaining in the Pit of Tartarus._

 _Achilles, Penthesilea, and Perseus lived on to have children of their own. They discovered that their offspring also carried the gift of sorcery. That is where we, the Magi and the Augur, receive our magic. In our blood flows the magic that our goddess Hecate gifted our ancestors. However, our purpose as Magi and Augur differ greatly._

 _Penthesilea was an Amazon; she was the sister of the Amazon Queen, Hippolyta. After the battle against the Mage, Penthesilea returned to the Amazon homeland, called Themyscira. One day, Hippolyta and Penthesilea went out on a hunt. The deer they were hunting was particularly evasive; simple tools were not enough to kill it. Penthesilea sent a hex to kill it. The spell, instead of hitting the deer, hit her sister. The spell killed Hippolyta. Penthesilea was overcome with grief and anger. She cursed Hecate and the gift that she was given. She swore that her and her kin would stop at nothing to kill Hecate and the other gods. Thus, the Augur were established. They studied and perfected dark magic, all in the hope of one day achieving the goal of destroying the gods._

 _The descendants of Perseus and Achilles made a promise, an oath: they would thwart every Augur attempt to harm and kill the gods and the rest of mankind. This is where we come from. We, the descendants of Perseus and Achilles, are the protectors of the earthly realm and the path to Mount Olympus. We are the faithful servants of our goddess Hecate. We are the Magi."_

She laughed as the children let out a large cheer and clapped for the Master Sorcerer. As the cheering died down, the first echelons started hurling questions at Ziggy.

"So does that mean we're all related?"

"Why was Uranus so mean?"

"Kronos was mean too!"

"Yeah, why were they so mean?"

"Why does Hecate live in the Underworld?"

"What else is in the Underworld? It seems scary!"

"Children," Ziggy chuckled, holding up a hand to call for their silence. They immediately quieted. "Your questions will be answered another time. I must speak with our fifth echelon about an important matter."

Their heads whipped to the back towards her. She grinned and gave them a small wave. They whispered excitedly amongst themselves - being in the presence of fifth echelons was a big deal to the younglings.

"Now, go find Jeremiah. Maybe you could direct all of your questions to him," Ziggy commanded.

The children shot out of their seats, running out of the room to find Jeremiah. When the children had left, she walked to the front of the room.

"He's going to be so annoyed," she said amused, referring to Jeremiah.

"Ah, he deserves it," Ziggy smiled. Ziggy searched her eyes, and his smile fell. The light atmosphere between them was quickly replaced with a tense energy. They both knew what she came to ask him.

"Our mission was unsuccessful," Ziggy answered her unspoken question quietly. Her jaw clenched, and she gave a terse, disappointed nod.

While Ziggy was not a part of the Gray - he refused to use any dark magic whatsoever - he still went out with them for particularly difficult investigations in order to lend his expertise. The team had left two weeks ago in order to search for leads, any leads, in Noah's disappearance. She had desperately wanted to join them. She was denied - not that she expected them to actually let her go - and she had been in agony waiting for them to come back with good news. It seemed that this was not going to be the case.

"So there really wasn't anything?" she asked, her voice small.

"Well," Ziggy started, his voice apprehensive, "we did find something."

She perked up at this.

"What? What is it?"

"There was a small, almost nonexistent, magical imprint left on the car from where the spell hit the vehicle. We were able to decipher that the spell was dark magic."

"We figured that already, didn't we?"

"Yes, however this was unlike anything we had ever seen before. We have never seen this kind of magic actually practiced; only ancient texts describe anything similar to this type of sorcery. It must have come from someone, or something, that the Magi have not faced in a long, long time."

Her heart sank. She turned away from Ziggy, not wanting to see his expression when she asked her next question.

"Do you - do you think he's still alive?" She asked, her voice almost inaudible. She trusted Ziggy as much as anyone, and he always told the truth - she almost didn't want to hear his answer.

Ziggy sighed, grabbing her arm gently and turning her back to face him. He ducked his head, making sure to look her in the eye. "Please, do not give up hope just yet. Despite the fact that a locator spell could not find him, that does not mean that he is not alive. And we did not find a body - that is also a good sign. The Fury, if that is indeed who is responsible for his disappearance, would have left his body somewhere if they had decided to kill him. They have not been shy about leaving behind others that they have murdered in the past."

"Why would they take him in the first place?" she asked, running a hand over her face in frustration. "He wasn't even in the Gray anymore, not really. Did he know something?"

"Noah is a very gifted Magi who traveled the globe for the Gray. While he is no longer active in the Gray, he has accumulated a lot of information that could be useful to the Fury."

"Useful how?"

"Well, their main goal has been clear since the start: kill the gods. Anything that could help accomplish that goal would be advantageous to them."

"You mean curios?"

"Perhaps," he shrugged. "There are many ancient curios around the world, many of which we have no idea the extent of their power."

"Noah didn't believe that any of them could kill gods," she stated.

"Nor do I. But the Fury are beyond reason. If there is even the smallest possibility that a curio could kill a god, then they will exhaust every effort in order to obtain it."

"What happens now?"

"The Gray will keep investigating. They are looking into the magical imprint on the car and cross referencing it with texts to attempt to learn its origin."

"And you? Are you back teaching?

"Yes. I will resume mentoring you and my other pupils. I would, however, like to again attempt to unblock your memory."

She groaned in discontent. "It's no use, Ziggy. I've had about a dozen others try it with no results. It didn't even budge," she pleaded, tapping her temple.

"I want to teach you to unblock it yourself."

"Really?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Other than having the person who placed the spell there in the first place, having a person remove their own block is more successful."

"Why's that?"

"You know your own mind better than anyone. It is a lot less strenuous for you to go searching inside of it rather than having a stranger go wandering in there."

"Makes sense. When do we start?"

He grinned at her eagerness.

"Today. Come with me."

He turned towards the door, and headed towards the hallway with her on his heels. The hallway, like most of the walls in the Magi Temple, were painted floor to ceiling with famous fables and deities. The painted figures on the walls slowly moved, almost making the walls feel alive. One figure caught her eye as she followed her Master: Pandora. Pandora's fiery red hair, sly smile, and ornate jar gave her away. She watched in abject fascination as Pandora slowly opened her jar (you heard her - jar, not _box,_ as often mistranslated), and Pandora's beautiful face twisted in horror as vile beings flew from the infamous jar, cursing humankind with evil. The fable, while untrue, was a famous one in both human and Magi culture. Pandora was very much a real person, but she certainly was _not_ responsible for releasing all evil into the world. She was the first woman created by Zeus, nothing more. But her story was altered, depicting her curiosity as being the downfall of mankind.

She wondered who Pandora pissed off in order to gain that undeserving infamy.

She continued down the vast hallway, trailing Ziggy. While her and Caleb lived in their own house, this was the place she felt most comfortable. She grew up here. She met Daisy here. She even met Noah here.

 _Noah,_ she thought, her heart clenching in sadness. She was trying so hard not to give up hope. But a small part of her - the cynical, pragmatic part - was telling her that he was gone. She shook her head, attempting to get rid of the thought; if she were missing, Noah would stop at nothing to find her. It was only right that she do the same.

The hallway lead to a massive, elegant stairwell. The white and gold marble stairs led to the second floor of the temple, home to the library and living quarters. She followed Ziggy up the stairwell, running her fingers along the cold marble railing. Ziggy walked past the library, and she hesitated a moment at the entrance. She could have sworn she saw a woman with a shock of red hair standing over a table, reading a book. But when she looked again, there was no one there.

She felt a small shiver race down her spine.

She caught up to Ziggy, who had paused and was waiting for her with a dark brow raised. She gave a sheepish shrug, and they continued. They wound through the living quarters until they finally arrived at a door that she did not recognize. There was a glittering symbol of a moon on the door - it kept cycling through the phases.

"I don't think I've seen this door before," she commented, watching the first quarter moon morph into the gibbous moon.

"I am not surprised. This is a restricted room."

"Then why is it in the living quarters? Lots of people roaming through these halls. Doesn't seem like the best place for a restricted room," she countered.

"Perhaps not, but not any Magi can get through here. See? There is no door handle."

She was so focused on the changing moon, she did not notice there was, in fact, no door handle.

"Uh, I'm assuming you have a way in?"

Ziggy gave her a sly, confident grin. He closed his eyes, and placed his left palm over the moon.

" _Safíneia,"_ he whispered, his voice sounding almost reverent. The moon changed once more to the new moon - a dark circle outlined by a thin, shining ring. The ring pulsed a bright white, and the door slid open.

"Now," began Ziggy, his face and voice serious, "are you ready to begin?"


End file.
